“Filled with historical references, informational backmatter, and adventures in pre-revolution Iran and post-Partition Pakistan, this humorous anti-heist novel is the perfect introduction to historical events while reminding us that whether you’re from London or Kabul, we’re all just trying to protect the people we love,” said Lauren Pronger of Chapterhouse Books in Amarillo, Texas.
“A fictional account of a Norse raid on a Scottish island monastery that is respectful of the vast gap in time between its setting and the present day, but also irreverently funny as it demonstrates how little human character has actually changed in the last thousand years. The Book of I is an assured, accomplished debut,” said James Crossley of Leviathan Books in St. Louis, Missouri.
“An Embroidery of Souls is a positively surprising fantasy with a rich meshing of cultures that threads in the magic of souls and embroidery in such a unique, magical way,” said Keeley Malone of Ink Drinkers Anonymous in Muncie, Indiana.
“After a traitorous event with her best friend’s boyfriend, high schooler Jess Lanza has been the topic of a nasty blog. When she decides that the insults have gotten stale, she takes matters into her own hands and through her own blog, Jess gives her bullies a year’s worth of creative reasons to hate her. Taking on the themes of fractured friendship, slut-shaming, masking, bullying and trauma is no small feat, but Metallo writes so deftly and personally, Jess comes to life and we can’t help but cheer for her through the ups and downs of senior year,” said Mara Lynn Luther of Chapter One Bookstore in Hamilton, MT.
“A gently creepy story about being yourself and navigating through life’s big changes. For anyone who has ever sworn that the doll’s eyes have moved,” said Mara Lynn Luther of Chapter One Bookstore in Hamilton, MT.
“Citchens is an absolute force in this debut about patriarchy, the church, and life in Mississippi. A phenomenal examination of how we hide who we are, and the inevitable outcomes when the truth comes to light,” said Nahin Cano of Seminary Co-Op Bookstores in Chicago, Illinois.
“Honestly, I can’t stop talking to people about this book. The explorations of grief — of the many kinds of grief we experience in our lives — the raw and real prose that just sucks you in, the realistic setting, all of it. It’s a book everyone can find themselves in, for better or worse,” said Grace Lane of Linden Tree Books in Los Altos, California.
“As someone who doesn't read a lot of middle-grade, I was absolutely surprised by how much I liked The Ginghams. From the first few chapters, I knew this was something special,” said Ashli Byfield of Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn, New York.
“If this novel had been written a century ago, it would be a classic today. A brilliantly written story of a claustrophobic English village in the eighteenth century, and the violence that nips at the ankles of young women when people see them as ‘other,’ ” said Marisa Spence of Ballast Book Company in Bremerton, Washington.
“This tale of conflicting households, weaving together a beautiful story of the author’s grandparents, shows us that love truly can conquer all. In a world where order depends on people staying in their place, these star-crossed lovers tell us that some things can’t just be left up to fate — fate is what you make of it,” said Erin Decker of White Rose Books & More in Kissimmee, Florida.
